When I Imprinted
by agdoll95
Summary: Toothless is a young Night Fury who has always wanted to find true love. The problem is, she hasn't imprinted on anyone yet and she is starting to doubt she ever will. She is a beautiful dragoness, everyone wants her but she doesn't want them. When she finally imprints on Hiccup, she begins to wonder if he will return her feelings for him.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Prolouge

My mother had told me my whole life that it only happens once and that we should cherish it. To imprint was something every dragon hoped for. We only imprint once, on the one we are meant to be with. All my friends had imprinted, but I was the only one who hadn't yet and I was beginning to doubt I ever would. And that was bad, really bad, especially with my father being the king and his time in this world coming to a close, I had to imprint soon, or I could be banished and my birth right to rule in his place would go to another. The problem was that I had met all the dragons in our realm and I hadn't imprinted on any of them.

"If all dragons imprint on someone, why haven't I?" I groaned to my mother one day while she groomed my scales.

"You just haven't found him yet sweetie. Don't worry, you will someday." She soothed as her claws ran up and down my back.

"But how will I know? How did you and father know?"

"It's like when you see him, suddenly, it's not gravity that's holding you to the earth anymore it's him. There is nothing stronger than to feel that pull. When you see him, you will like your whole life has been pulling you toward him, like he had been waiting for you too." She explained like she wished I could feel it like she did.

I just kept hoping it would happen soon. I didn't care if I lost my father's throne to someone else, I just wanted to find someone to love, some to spend the rest of my life with. All I wanted to find was true love.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I walked through the forests of an island I would frequently visit when I wanted to get away from all the stress of being the princess. I made it to the cove I loved to relax in and made my way down. I settled on a rock that was always in the suns glow. It felt so good to sun here, it was quiet and it was far from any other dragons that would always try to court me.

Mother had been trying to set me up with a suitor for decades when it became apparent that I wasn't going to imprint on anyone. None of them really loved me, they just wanted the benefits of being the princess' mate. That is not what I wanted. But I was starting to doubt that I would ever imprint or find true love.

I closed my eyes and listened to the relaxing sounds of the birds and the wind around me. It almost lulled me to sleep But I was interrupted when I heard someone coming down into the cove. I jumped behind the rock and watched the one who came in. It was a young boy, probably no older than a youngling of a decade and a half old.

I felt a warm wave wash over me as I watched him. I almost found him beautiful, with a bright auburn hair, emerald eyes, and he wasn't the large hulk of muscle that most humans I had seen before. He was thin and moved with ease as he walked. As the sun shone on his hair it made him almost shine as bright.

I watched him walk to the lake and sit down. He just sat there tossed a few pebbles into the water. He almost looked sad, I couldn't say why, but then again, I couldn't show myself to him to ask. The humans were less than excepting of us and I had no hope that this one wouldn't run.

After a few minutes, he turned and faced my direction, when I looked into his eyes I felt a wave of hot warmth wash over my mind. I didn't even feel like I was attached to the earth any more, I was floating on air. He never saw me, and left the cove. But even when he was gone, I couldn't get him off my mind. I flew back to the nest and still couldn't stop thinking about him, not even when my mother was combing my scales.

"Sweetheart, did you hear me?" I heard her say snapping me from my daydream.

"Uh, no what was it you were saying?" I said feeling very stupid.

"I was trying to say that you have another suitor coming tomorrow. I am sure you will love him, he is a Night Fury and a strong, handsome one at that."

"How can I love him if I don't even love him?" I argued then realized something else. How could I feel the way I did about that boy if I didn't even know the first thing about him. But I didn't even have time to think about it.

"You have no idea how important it is that you find a mate. If you are not mated before you second decade, you will be banished and you will lose your right to your father's throne." My mother growled at me. "Is that what you want?"

"Mother, I don't care about the throne, I don't want to be with someone I don't even love. I hate that you are trying to force me into this. If I do find a mate, I want it to be for love." I said turning back to the opening in my hollow.

"Honey, I am sorry but unless you imprint on someone, you won't find love. Love doesn't exist for us with imprinting. Your head is in the clouds and it is time for you to wake up. You have to mate within two months or you will lose your father's throne." She warned me and left me to my thoughts.

I didn't believe her, I had my eye on someone, someone who I knew was out of my reach. I had to see him again. I couldn't stop thinking about him and I felt myself being pulled to him. It suddenly dawned on me why I was being drawn to him without even knowing him, I had imprinted him. I had imprinted on a human.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

During the next couple of days I would sneak out of my hollow and fly back to the cove to see if the human was still there. Each time he was he would sit by the little lake and either toss rocks into the lake or fish for whatever he could catch.

All the times I saw him he looked so sad, like he was lonely. One time I saw him he had a black eye, like he had been hurt. It made my blood boil knowing someone had hurt my love. But there wasn't much I could do without showing myself to him. I knew at some point I would have to, I just didn't know how. It started to torture me inside to watch my one I love be in so much sadness and so much pain and not be able to do anything.

One day I came flying back to the nest and my mother was waiting for me. "Where have you been?" she scolded.

"I just out flying." I lied.

"Oh really, are you sure you weren't out fawning over some human?" she snarled.

"What how do you know about that?" I panicked.

"I always have ways of finding out. Do you not realize what you are doing? Humans are our enemy. They've killed thousands of us!" she yelled.

"And we've killed hundreds of them! Humans are not all bad, you just can't let go of a hate that you can't even justify. There are good things in them."

"How do you know your human is any different from the rest of them? Have you shown yourself to him?" Mother pressed.

"No, I…"

"Why, not? Obviously you feel so strongly about this one being different, why not show yourself to him?"

"I want to, I just…"

"You just what, can't feel that he's different, know that deep down, he is nothing more than a dragon slaying barbarian incapable of any…"

"Mother, I imprinted on him!" I cried out too late to realize what I had done.

The ebony in mother's scales seemed to fade to ghostly white. "Have lost your senses completely?" she growled. "So help me, I will erase your impression, even if I must beat it out of you."

I flew out the hollow and tried to keep out of my mother's reach. I didn't want to lead her to the island where my human lived but I had no choice, she knew all the other islands inside and out. I dove into the tress with my mother close behind. As I made a tight turn, I felt her grab my tail in her teeth. I cried out in pain and tried to pull away. In doing so, I felt something tear on my tail.

I cried out again and crashed through the lower trees and onto the ground. When I picked myself up, I tried to fly, but I couldn't stay up. My mother landed in front of me and showed me why. She had torn off one of my tail wings. I was mortified.

"Enjoy your time alone. I sincerely hope your little times with that vile thing were worth it, because you have lost your place in our kingdom. You're no dragon, you're not my daughter." She growled flying off.

"Mother, Mother please! You can't do this!" I cried after her.

"So sad, I believe I just did." She sneered flying off.

I broke down and cried until my eyes grew heavy and I lost touch with reality. When I opened my eyes again I felt someone close by. I looked around and saw no one but I could feel they were close. I got up into the tree and got a better look. It was the boy. I felt some of my sadness being elevated, but without my tail wing, I couldn't fly. I was grounded, for good.

I watched the boy walk through the forest and followed him. What else did I have to lose? I followed him to his village and watched him enter a human nest, the one on the highest hill and closest to the forest. I stayed near the entrance of the forest and listened to everything that was going on inside. From what I could hear, the boy and his father didn't get along like a son and a father ought to. But then again, I didn't know much about how the humans treated each other, let alone how they should behave toward each other.

I listened until the lights went out and they went to bed. I was left to my thoughts. My mother may have grounded me, but I was thankful that it was on the island where the one I loved was. I was very grateful she didn't know that. I may be grounded, but at least I could be close to the one I love.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Days passed in a usual pattern, I remained hidden in the woods and kept a close watch on my human. I stayed in the shadows and at night I would watch and listen to his father. For one reason or another, they seemed to argue, a lot. He would then go to bed and sometimes he would cry himself to sleep. I wanted so badly to comfort him, but I had yet to reveal myself to him. I was still scared to find out if he would accept me or not.

One day, he was jumped in the forest by a male from his village. I couldn't take it anymore. I lunged at the larger male and fought him back. I then turned to the boy, but he didn't look like he was ready to thank me, in fact he looked outright terrified.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you." I said, but forgot one thing, he could understand me.

He continued to back away and looked like he wanted to run but he had a look in his eyes that he knew that I could catch him with no effort. I never intended to chase him but I didn't anyone to know that I was here. I moved closer to assure him I didn't intend to hurt him, but he turned and ran. I felt my heart drop, but gave chase and captured him underneath my claws, careful not to harm him.

He was breathing very quickly and looked so frightened. I knew that look, it was the same look I gave my mother when she tore off my tail. I lifted my claw and back away a few feet. He continued to stare and then ran again. This time I didn't chase him. He had every right to, he was scared and I only made it worse. I let him go, I just hoped he wouldn't tell anyone about me.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I kept running, I couldn't believe what I had seen. I had seen a Night Fury and lived. Then it hit me, I wasn't the only one who had seen it, Speedifist had also seen it. No doubt by now he had already told the village about it and they would already be on their way to kill it. But something was bothering me, why had the Night Fury saved me?

I had always been told that dragons will always go for the kill, so why had this dragon saved me and not killed me? I stopped to catch my breath. I kept thinking about why I had run. I was scared, but that thing had saved me from being beaten within an inch of my life from Speedifist. Now the rest of the villagers were probably after it. I couldn't let them kill that dragon after it had just saved me.

I turned back around and went to go looking for it. 'I must be out of my mind.' I thought to myself.

I kept running and found the Night Fury in a cove. It looked like it was trying to fly but it was stuck. "Why don't you just fly away?" I asked out loud.

While I was watching my hand slipped and shoved some small rocks into the cove. I held my breath as the Night Fury looked up at me. It didn't breathe fire or lunge for me or anything. It didn't even look threatening. It looked more curious than anything else. We looked at each other for a second and I stepped closer to the edge of the cove and stepped in. I slowly made my way closer to the Night Fury and tried not to look terrified, even though my heart was pounding in my chest and my head was screaming at me that I was crazy. But I had to learn why this dragon saved me.

As I got closer, it got closer. "Hey, how did you get yourself trapped in here?" I said slowly trying not to provoke it. "I'm not going to hurt you." I said knowing how stupid that must have sounded.

As I stepped closer, it was now sitting in front of me. I reached for it, but I wasn't sure I would want to see it if this thing torn my arm off. I looked away and reached out my hand. I stayed that way for a second and then I felt something warm in my hand. I looked and saw the Night Fury had its snot in my hand with its eyes closed. I was in awe, this dragon was trusting me as I was trusting or rather hoping it not to rip my arm off.

We locked eyes for a minute and in that time, I felt a connection I never felt before. It was almost warm and I never wanted to lose it, but the sun was setting and I had to get to the village to see if Speedifist had told the village. I ran back for the entrance, and climbed out.

I looked back at the dragon in the cove. Before I could stop myself, I found myself promising it that I would be back. It was weird, I never that I would be promising a dragon anything, let alone that I would come back to see it.

I ran back to the village and from the look of it, Speedifist never made it to the village. I was curious of why, but at the moment I really didn't care. Whether it means that he won't say anything about the Night Fury or because he won't be around to torment me anymore, I didn't care. The fact was that he was probably gone and I could finally breathe a little easier.

I asked around and found out that Speedifist came back only to be carried off by a Monstrous Nightmare that had been passing by. I almost laughed at the thought. At least now my secret was safe and I was safe from Speedifist himself. I went to my house and saw my Dad was gone again. Most likely out on another quest to find the dragon's nest. I sat down and ate dinner alone.

I went to bed that night, but still all I could think about was the Night Fury. Why had it saved me and why am I so eager to see it again?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I couldn't get the feeling of when he and I touched out of my head. I was such a warm pulse I never wanted to lose it. I was happy that he was beginning to trust me, but still a little upset that he was still scared of me. But I assured myself that it was in baby steps. He had to trust me before he could like me. I had to be patient, all good things started out small.

I spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about something else, how was I ever going to fly again? My mother had grounded me for good. Without my tail, I couldn't go anywhere. When I fell down into this cove, this is basically where I am going to stay for a while.

I was wondering if my mother ever really loved me or if she just saw me as one part of a much bigger plan of hers. I guess I had my answer in the instant she ripped my tail. I was just too naïve to see that maybe I should have confided in someone else rather than someone who only cared about being a member of the royal family. I was now beginning to see that she was no different than all those males who had come to court me. She only cared about the perks that came with being queen.

Well, now I was away from her and all that for good and I had someone I could love, I just had to make him love me back. But I didn't plan to force it on him, I just hoped that somehow, I could make him feel the same way about me that I did about him. I loved him without even knowing much about him. If imprinting on someone could help you love someone without even knowing them, if this is what it felt like to be in love, I never wanted to let it go. I just felt that he was different from the others, he proved to me when he came back and chose to trust me. If he could trust me, then, I hoped, that he could grow to love me. I just had to be patient.

I went to sleep that night clinging to the hope that he would come back. In my heart, I felt that I knew that he was going to. Another part me knew that he felt it too. I slept well, but I was feeling too single minded. Is this the drawback of imprinting on another?

I had to find other things to focus on. I decided to focus on trying to find a fly to fly again. But this seemed impossible because without my tail, how could I stay airborne? I could barely glide let alone fly without my tail. But I had to try.

The next day, I climbed on top of a pillar in the middle of the cove and started practicing. It was shaky going and I wasn't getting any better. It was starting to look hopeless, but I felt my spirits rise when I saw the boy come into the cove through the entrance.

He was carrying a basket and whatever was in it smelled delicious.

"Hey Toothless, I brought breakfast. I hope you're hungry." He called.

I bounded over and was happy to see that he was trying to help me. Maybe he was trying to grow feelings for me after all. He tipped the basket over and a whole lot of fish came spilling out. It was all my favorites, salmon, and Icelandic cod. The only thing that bothered me was the last item in the basket. An eel, the only thing no dragon would ever eat. They make us very sick and there is no way to stop it.

He tossed the dangerous thing away when he saw that it bothered me. "Yeah I really don't like eel much either." He breathed.

I noticed he had something else in his arm, but I was too hungry to care. I dove into the fish and ate them like I would never eat again. I felt him messing with my tail and when I felt my tail a little better balanced, I was curious what he had done.

I opened my wings and took off. He grasped my tail and I honestly thought I could fly again. But at one point I was losing altitude and was about to crash but at the last second I took to the skies. I was flying again with my love behind me. We returned to the cove and I accidently made a sharp turn and he was dislodged off my tail. We both crashed into the lake but the cry of joy he let out told me that he had had fun. When we made it back to shore, he was smiling at me.

It filled me with hope, was he finally growing to care for me, rather than fear me?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

In the next few weeks that followed, Hiccup and I learned a lot about each other and he was working on a tail and saddle to help me fly again. It was all working well and it was nice to see him more and more comfortable around me. He stopped hesitating and was actually happy to be around me. He even went as far to get on my back to ride me.

Not how I wanted to bond with him but when we flew together it was as if we were one, I could feel his heart beating in sync with mine. One night he fell asleep against my side and I heard mutter to me in his sleep like he was calling for me.

I heard someone coming and covered him with my wing to hide him. I was frightened to see who it was. It was my mother.

"So have you learned your lesson? Have you forgotten about that human and ready to come home and assume your duties as our princess?" she said.

I didn't like the tone in her voice. I glared at her. "I never wanted to be the princess. It may have been what you wanted but all I ever wanted was love. The only one who ever showed me any form of love was father and if you're here that means he's gone and you know you can't hold your position as queen for long."

"You are our princess and you will do what I say." She growled.

Suddenly I felt Hiccup stir underneath my wing and try to get out. I was in a panic, if my mother saw him, she would kill him. He kept trying to get out but I couldn't let him out or my mother would know.

"What are you hiding under those wings?" she asked looking at the form struggling under my wing.

"Nothing." I said in a panic.

"Toothless, let me out!" Hiccup cried out.

Finally, I couldn't stand frightening him anymore and opened my wing to let him out.

"Toothless, what has gotten into you?" he asked sounding out right scared.

I was feeling many emotions at once. Mostly fear and guilt. Fear because now my mother knew about him and guilt because I had scared the one person I had tried so hard to get to trust me.

"Who is this?" he asked looking at my mother. "Another Night Fury, amazing." He breathed.

"Who is this?" my mother growled. "And why would let him call you such a demeaning name?"

I couldn't hide it anymore. "He's the human I imprinted on. He cannot understand us, and I do not mind the name. Anything is better than being called your daughter or the princess of the unholy offspring of lightening and death itself." I explained standing in front of him protectively. "And I am not going to let you hurt him."

"You imprint on a human, you deny your duties as our princess and now you let this human ride you like a common animal." She growled at him. "How low are you going to let yourself fall before you feel the shame you should right now?"

"I don't feel any shame nor will I ever. I love him and I am happy with this. He has given what you took from me. He has helped me fly again."

"What if I told you I could give it back? All you have to do is dispose of that human." She lured.

"I would say I would rather face the Midgard Serpent blind. I will never hurt him even if you could give me back my tail. He has done it for me, you're only offering it to keep your high and mighty head above mine. You may have brought me into this world, but you are no mother of mine." I growled keeping Hiccup back.

All at once my mother lunged at me and was trying to throw me out of the way to get to him but I was not going to falter. I wasn't going to let her get to my Hiccup. She bit at my throat and clawed at my wings and threw me to the side. She stalked toward me.

"I gave you a chance to repent of your crimes but I now see there is no chance of saving you. So now, I will end your life to save our kind from the poison of your lost mind."

I was trying to get to my feet but I was losing a lot of blood. I kept going, I had to protect Hiccup. As I tried to get up, my mother was getting closer. Just as she was standing over me, Hiccup threw himself between us.

"Please no, don't hurt Toothless." He pleaded as if he would understand us.

My mother stared at him in shock. Hiccup crumpled down beside me and hugged my battered body. Feeling his hug made me feel strong again even in my battered state.

"Why would he do that? He knows I can kill him with even trying and yet he would try to stop me, to save you." My mother asked bewildered.

"Because that's what those who truly care for each other do, they protect each other no matter how hopeless things may get." I said purring as he rubbed my neck to ease my pain. "I love him mother, and even if he doesn't feel the love I do, I know he cares for me just as I do."

My mother continued to stare at me and Hiccup as he continued to soothe me as I rested from my mother's attack.

"I never got the chance to know that kind of love. I never imprinted on anyone, your father forced me to be his mate. He said he loved me, but truth be told, I think the only one he loved was you. I guess I was just so jealous of that love he gave to you instead of me, that I wanted you to know what it was like to be matched with someone you don't love because I had forgotten what it felt like." She said like she was ready to cry. "I know I hurt you, I am so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I am so sorry for all this."

"Mother, you never imprinted?" I asked in shock.

"Yes. And when I heard you say that you had, I was mostly angry and jealous that my daughter had imprinted and in all my years, I hadn't. It was never that you had imprinted on the boy, it was just that you had imprinted period. I am so sorry, I understand what he means to you now, and what you mean to him. You don't have to come back if you truly don't want to, we'll find someone to rule the kingdom. I hope they are as full of life as you."

"Mother, I don't think it's too late for you to keep trying to find the one you imprint on. If it isn't a dragon, maybe it's a human. You can try, I really want you to imprint and find someone to truly care about. I want you to be happy." I cooed as she turned to leave.

"Thank you. I won't bother you or the boy again, I promise. I hope you two stay strong together." She said as she took off.

I watched her go and hoped that she would keep trying to find the one she was meant to hold close to her heart. I now understood her actions, she never cared for being queen, she just wanted love because she never had the chance to have it to begin with. I understood her because I went through it too.


End file.
